Q :
If Christmas day falls on Friday, which is a day of abstinence. What should we do then? Should we have a festive lunch or still observe abstinence? Jesus’ birth vs Jesus’ death….
【 Question from 】 Hong Kong 香港
Fr. Francis :
Whenever there is a solemnity, which is the highest form of feast days in the Church calendar, we are called to celebrate even if it happens to fall on a Friday. So, yes, definitely no need to fast on Christmas Day. In fact, during the whole octave of Christmas from Dec 25 to Jan 1 inclusive, every day is Christmas Day. So no need to fast during the entire octave.
Having said that, many who regularly fast on Wednesdays and Fridays also take on the habit of moving the fasting to the day before or after whenever a solemnity happens to fall on a fasting day.